Thursday, August 30, 2007
And soon there will be another?
Will there be a fifteenth* minyan in Studentville? Not immediately, but the seeds have been planted. We'll see what happens.
* OPEM II turned out to be a one-time thing after all, but I didn't count Hillel II Reform in the original count, so I still stand by the original count of 14.
* OPEM II turned out to be a one-time thing after all, but I didn't count Hillel II Reform in the original count, so I still stand by the original count of 14.
Labels: minyan proliferation, minyanim, studentville
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
The minyanim of Studentville UAQ
Now that:
I feel an obligation to post this.
The catch-phrase of the Ig Nobel Prizes is that they "first make people laugh, and then make them think." I would hope that post did it.
Pseudonymous commenter Locke (not the political philosopher) wrote:
You can think of this post as being written by crowd 2 with an audience of crowd 1.
And now, to the UAQ:
Of course it was! It's a parody. Certain elements were exaggerated for effect and humor value.
No, it wasn't. And, I would find it hard to believe that you did not recognize at least some elements of the (short) characterization that rang true.
Read the comments to the original post. See if you still believe that.
No.
Not really. The impetus for the post was a specific minyan. But, the point is valid for the entire community.
Because its founding duplicated an institution that's already in existence, rather than adding something new to communal life.
Creating a group with differences in practice and/or religious ideology sufficient to differentiate your group from the pre-existing ones.
That's two separate questions! The answer to the first is: No. If the active community is large enough to support duplicate institutions, or if geographical constraints make duplication necessary, it's not problematic at all. One can argue that the challenge in some communities is to make the religious groupings smaller. To the second question: Differences in practice and religious ideology are not limited to, and are more confused by than enlightened by, denominational lines.
That's great! Kol hakavod! Why do you need a minyan?
No.
No. I think independent minyanim have an important place in the greater Jewish community, and have done a lot to bring uninvolved Jews into the fold, and keep Jews involved. There's a time and place for everything, says Kohelet. Also, if you read the post, you'll note that independent minyanim are not the only targets of barbs.
No.
Is it really in Studentville? If so, it means I didn't know about it. If you have to ask this question, though, you should probably be asking yourself where your minyan fits in to the "taxonomy."
A FAQ is a frequently asked questions list. A UAQ is an unasked questions list. My telepathy software told me you were thinking them. :-)
Shhh...
- I've gotten at least 4 plugs,
- it's been revealed elsewhere that Studentville is a mock-up of an actual place,
- and my hit counter is running off the scale (by the way, the display counts visits, not page views),
I feel an obligation to post this.
The catch-phrase of the Ig Nobel Prizes is that they "first make people laugh, and then make them think." I would hope that post did it.
Pseudonymous commenter Locke (not the political philosopher) wrote:
I like to think of the two major groups of people that inhabit Studentville as crowd 1: which takes itself very seriously and won't laugh at anything. and crowd 2: who have a tendency to laugh much too loudly, and at inappropriate times.
You can think of this post as being written by crowd 2 with an audience of crowd 1.
And now, to the UAQ:
Oh no! My minyan was misrepresented!
Of course it was! It's a parody. Certain elements were exaggerated for effect and humor value.
But my minyan was misrepresented even more than all the others!
No, it wasn't. And, I would find it hard to believe that you did not recognize at least some elements of the (short) characterization that rang true.
Why would you write something inflammatory like this? The community is fine.
Read the comments to the original post. See if you still believe that.
Was it all a ploy to get people to go to a specific minyan?
No.
Was it directed as a jab any specific minyan?
Not really. The impetus for the post was a specific minyan. But, the point is valid for the entire community.
So, why did you say that my minyan had no reason to come into existence?
Because its founding duplicated an institution that's already in existence, rather than adding something new to communal life.
What do you mean by adding something new?
Creating a group with differences in practice and/or religious ideology sufficient to differentiate your group from the pre-existing ones.
Do you really think that Metropolis should only have three shuls -- one Reform, one Conservative, and one Orthodox?
That's two separate questions! The answer to the first is: No. If the active community is large enough to support duplicate institutions, or if geographical constraints make duplication necessary, it's not problematic at all. One can argue that the challenge in some communities is to make the religious groupings smaller. To the second question: Differences in practice and religious ideology are not limited to, and are more confused by than enlightened by, denominational lines.
But my minyan has social action, learning programs, etc.
That's great! Kol hakavod! Why do you need a minyan?
Are you on drugs?
No.
Do you hate independent minyanim?
No. I think independent minyanim have an important place in the greater Jewish community, and have done a lot to bring uninvolved Jews into the fold, and keep Jews involved. There's a time and place for everything, says Kohelet. Also, if you read the post, you'll note that independent minyanim are not the only targets of barbs.
Did the Republicans put you up to this?
No.
Why didn't you list my minyan?
Is it really in Studentville? If so, it means I didn't know about it. If you have to ask this question, though, you should probably be asking yourself where your minyan fits in to the "taxonomy."
What's a UAQ, anyway?
A FAQ is a frequently asked questions list. A UAQ is an unasked questions list. My telepathy software told me you were thinking them. :-)
Are you just writing this post to get back on everyone's RSS aggregators?
Shhh...
Labels: judaism, minyan, minyan proliferation, shul, studentville
Friday, February 02, 2007
The minyanim of Studentville, MA...
... or, can't we all just daven together?
Important: If you lack a sense of humor, read this first.
Town stats:
Population: Approximately 100,000 (source: Wikipedia)
Number of kosher restaurants: 0
Number of kosher stores: 0
Number of mikvaot: 0
Jewish population: Unable to obtain statistics. I'd estimate somewhere in thousands. Like many places, most Jews do not go to shul. I would estimate the active Jewish population to be under 1000.
Number of minyanim: At least 14
Names changed to protect the guilty.
Hillel I* Orthodox Minyan I.
Practice: Modern Orthodox
Reasons for existence: Orthodox undergraduate and graduate students from School I, Orthodox non-students who live in the area; Previously, only regularly-meeting Orthodox prayer group in town.
Served an unserved need when it started: Yes
Hillel I* Orthodox Minyan II.
Practice: Modern Orthodox
Original reasons for existence: Orthodox undergraduate students who didn't want to daven with the non-students in Hillel I Orthodox Minyan I. (The original intent of the minyan was to meet on Shabbat. It never took off.)
Would have served an unserved need when it started: No
Current reason for existence: Weekday morning minyan an hour later.
Served an unserved need when it started: Yes
Hillel I* Conservative Minyan I
Practice: Shortened-service, discussion session, Conservative/egalitarian
Original reasons for existence: Conservative students from School I; Conservative non-students
Current reasons for existence: Conservative non-students
Served an unserved need when it started: Yes
Hillel I* Conservative Minyan II
Practice: Traditional-liturgy Conservative/egalitarian
Reasons for existence: Egalitarian-leaning Conservative students (mostly undergraduates) who didn't want to daven with Hillel I Orthodox Minyan I (yes, that's right. Conservative Minyan II was more a breakaway from Orthodox I than Conservative I!)
Served an unserved need when it started: Yes
Hillel I* Reform Minyan
Practice: Guitar Reform
Reasons for existence: Only Reform prayer group in town.
Served an unserved need when it started: Yes
Hillel II** Orthodox Minyan.
Practice: Orthodox
Reasons for existence: Orthodox students from School II.
Served an unserved need when it started: Yes
Hillel II** Conservative Minyan.
Practice: Traditional-liturgy egalitarian/Conservative
Reasons for existence: Conservative/egalitarian students from School II.
Served an unserved need when it started: Yes
Orthodox Pseudo-Egalitarian Minyan I
Practice: Mechitza; Wait for 10 men/10 women for a "minyan"; Women lead parts of the service that aren't important.
Reasons for existence: Orthodox 20- and 30-somethings who wanted to maximize women's participation; Egalitarians who didn't want to daven at Shul Egalitarian Minyan or Hillel I Conservative Minyan II.
Served an unserved need before it started: Maybe. The real pseudo-egalitarian crowd was unserved. The (majority?) egalitarian crowd was served.
Orthodox Pseudo-Egalitarian Minyan II
Note: The latest addition to the fray.
Practice: Mechitza; Wait for 10 men/10 women for a "minyan"; Women lead parts of the service that aren't important. (Sound familiar?)
Reasons for existence: Undergraduate students who didn't want to daven with Orthodox Pseudo-Egalitarian Minyan I or Hillel I Orthodox Minyan I.
Served an unserved need before it started: No. Practice exactly mirrors Orthodox Pseudo-Egalitarian Minyan I.
Shul I Egalitarian Minyan
Practice: Traditional liturgy egalitarian/Conservative
Reasons for existence: Egalitarian-leaning Shul-I-goers who didn't want to daven with Shul I Traditional Minyan; Conservative area residents.
Served an unserved need before it started: Yes
Shul I Traditional Minyan
Original Practice: Orthodox, then non-egalitarian Conservative without a mechitza.
Original reasons for existence: It was the shul minyan.
Served an unserved need before it started: Yes
Current Practice: Modern Orthodox
Current reasons for existence: Members of Shul I who became "too frum" for Shul I Egalitarian Minyan; Orthodox area residents.
Served an unserved need before it started: Maybe
Postdenominational Egalitarian Minyan
Practice: Traditional-liturgy egalitarian/not Conservative
Reasons for existence: A place for 20- and 30-something egalitarians who go to Orthodox Pseudo-Egalitarian Minyan I to go when they don't meet; they won't go to Shul I Egalitarian Minyan or Hillel I Conservative Minyan II.
Served an unserved need before it started: No
Shul Nobody Goes To
Practice: Friday night egalitarian/"non-denominational" minyan
Original reasons for existence: Area residents who grew up in Hillel I forming a community.
Served an unserved need before it started: I dunno.
Current reasons for existence: Providing rental space for Postdenominational egalitarian minyan and Orthodox Pseudo-Egalitarian Minyan I. Getting Torah scrolls declared pasul (unfit) by said minyanim.
Big Orthodox Outreach Organization
Practice: Big Orthodox Outreach Organization
Reasons for existence: Feeding hungry students and non-students, especially of the bu$ine$$ and law varieties; Starting an hour later on Shabbat morning, thus avoiding any suspicion that Big Orthodox Outreach Organization rabbi is davening b'zman at Hillel I Orthodox Minyan I.
Served an unserved need before it started: Food, yes. Minyan, no.
* It may come as a surprise to some who don't live in Studentville that I'm considering Hillel I as supporting minyanim for non-students. This is something of a historical accident. Hillel I is roughly centrally located in Studentville and functioned as something akin to a Jewish Community Center. At one point, it associated with local K-8 day school (now independent). With recent policy shifts added to the advent or ascendence of so many other minyanim, Hillel I is in the process of losing its connection to non-undergraduate students and non-students alike. When these changes begin to hit them significantly in the donation department has yet to be seen.
** Geographical Note: School II is located far enough way from School I that they could not reasonably be expected to join each others' Hillels on a regular basis. Historical note: Both Hillel organizations were founded with a year of each other.
Updated: Added footnote *, corrected a few typos.
Update 2: Corrected characterization of one of the minyan's practices to reflect it "better." Added link to second post.
Labels: judaism, minyan, minyan proliferation, shul, studentville, synagogue
